ery

is the best thing you ca

*

liza

our day, lit

rawl, but seeing him standing there-in the gi

ng here?" I snapped, my voi

ed, stepp

m. It was my first day at Hollands High, and already, everything felt l

her step, closing the space between us. I fought the ur

show weakness, you've a

reath fanned against my fac

ink and splashed cold water on m

g here, Virginia.

in the mirror, and for the briefest moment, I th

didn't need anyone's

n?" My voice was steady

ut through me

r ruined city, in

tched. I spun

ell do you

o mistaking it-pity, la

inia. Far more than

the door, his expr

ou don't belong here, the

, but the girl staring at me

s happen

Li

tant. I didn't look at her,

ry this is happening to

pping her arms around me. The tears I ha

st me, El? Why?" My voice

saying everything we were t

-

racurriculars, so I left Evie at the cheerleaders' stand and

y," I greeted as I

," he replied with a warm smile.

ced a laugh, fast

. "You're stronge

h. It had only been a year since he came into our lives, but h

-

stinctively as I stepped inside, even

sales manager-two entirely different worlds, yet

g, and grabbed my dinner from the microwa

ck to this morning. To him. To the way m

ai

had

his words aff

veloping a c

No way. That's tra

about to leave the kitchen wh

rab your VIP card from my room

love

of the day. And thanks to Mom and Dad, I had a VIP car

ns, pairing them with flip-flops. I had nearly reached the s

at's where she

open, grabb

hen I

f

one made my b

lipped it open, my heart

the page shatt

the

-

u think the file